Page 9 - Contrast1962v6n1

I had to cross the wall, go over to that man, and see if I could help

him. I steeled myself for whatever might happen and leaped across

the wall. As I bent over the man on the grass, I saw flecks of scarlet

foam on his lips and realized that I had shot him through the lung.

His eyes were shut, as if he could not spare even the effort of holding

them open from the exertion of drawing each torturous breath. In a

moment, however, he seemed tosense someone near him, for his eye-

lids quivered and he looked up at me. .

" 'Who are you?' he asked, obviously puzzled at seeing a man in

blue leaning over him.

" 'I'm the ... I shot you.'

"'Oh.' I could see that he was beyond caring. He dosed his

eyes, drew another racking breath, and then looked at me question-

ingly.
.. 'What can I say? I can't tell you how sorry I am-it wouldn't do

any good anyway. I've never even killed an animal before.'

" 'Neither had I. I was a farmer.'

" 'I worked in my father's store... '. Is there anything I can do

to help you?'

" 'N-no, except lift that gun off me. It's not so bad now. I don't
think I'll take much longer.' His breathing was becoming more and

more laborious with each word he spoke. I asked myself why I

couldn't at least have made a clean job of it. He spoke again, more

weakly: 'Would you stay here a while? I don't want to die alone.'

I couldn't refuse. For that time we were the only two people in
the world. I settled myself on the ground beside him and said a silent

prayer that he would die soon.

"After a few minutes of silence, he whispered hoarsely, 'Would

you take my wallet out of mypocket ... and send it to my wife? ...

Name's inside ... Address Roberts Hill, Virginia No, it's

West Virginia now ... isn't it Whole state's divided just like

family ... Father sides's ... North.' ..
Sally broke into my reading. "Our family was divided like that,

too."
I continued reading from the diary: "After this he was quiet

again for a long time, except for the harsh, painful breathing which
was my only way of knowing that he was still alive. I leaned my head
against my knees and wondered why this had to happen to us-a New
England store clerk and a West Virginia farmer. Why did it have to
happen to any of us? He had a wife. She'd be a widow soon. Probably

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